


Always

by Toothlessturtle21



Series: Zangst Collection (Ninjago) [9]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Misunderstandings, Robot ethics, zangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:13:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24835942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toothlessturtle21/pseuds/Toothlessturtle21
Summary: A misunderstanding leads Zane to believe that Jay is intending on having him sold to the military when he overhears a conversation in the wee hours of the morning.
Series: Zangst Collection (Ninjago) [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1468231
Comments: 12
Kudos: 63





	Always

It was early one Tuesday morning, the sun just having risen over the horizon when Zane rose from his slumber. He glanced around the bedroom he shared with the rest of the boys, to find Cole, Lloyd, and Kai still asleep, and Jay nowhere to be found. He yawned, stretching his shoulders back to loosen the mechanics before rising to get dressed. He threw on some casual clothes, namely jeans and a tee shirt, before headed out to start to prepare breakfast for the crew, or at least assist Jay if he had already started.

He padded down the hall, his bare feet barely making noise on the wooden boards as he tried to soak up as much sun shining through the windows as he could. But as he strode down the hall, a pit suddenly formed in his stomach, creating a sinking feeling that sent shivers up his spine, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He crept even quieter towards the kitchen, now picking up the faint voices of the rest of the crew.

_"I don't know, I've put a lot of work into it."_

That was Jay. But what was he possibly talking about?

_"It'd hurt to see 'em scrapped, that's for sure."_

That was Nya. Zane stopped right outside the door, manually pausing his breathing cycle to listen in.

_"Yes, I know it is quite close to you two, but I wholeheartedly believe that it's abilities will be incredibly useful elsewhere."_

Zane didn't know that voice. That was someone completely new to his database, and they were registered as such. The awful feeling settling in his stomach combined with the two mechanics of the Bounty obviously talking about robotics with a stranger was certainly unsettling him.

_"Yeah, yeah, I know. How much did ya say you'd give us?"_

The conversation shifting to _selling_ something had piqued Zane's interest in the worst possible way, and the feeling in his gut threatened to swallow him.

_"For what you've fixed it up to be? Name your price. Technology like that is so ahead of its time, and I'm sure obtaining the blueprints alongside it will be monumental in developing military drones-"_

Zane froze on the spot, his power source sputtering. Were they talking about _him_?

_"-just imagine what Ninjago will look like in the future. Why, even the power system is incredibly unique, yes?"_

That sealed it for Zane. Fighting the overwhelming shock in his system, his first instinct was to go to Cole, _surely_ the Ninja of Earth would offer some insight. When he arrived in the bedroom, he frantically shook Cole, who awoke with a start.

"Zane, what-?"

 _"Shhh!"_ Zane hissed, and he heard Kai rouse above him on the top bunk. "Jay and Nya are in the kitchen with someone, and I have reasonable belief that they're talking about selling me to some _military_!"

"Wha-?" Kai asked sleepily, peering over the side. "You good, Frosty?"

"No, I am the opposite of good," Zane replied curtly, shifting his attention back to the Ninja of Earth. "I don't know what to do! If I go in and I'm right, I'm done for."

Cole suddenly sobered up, the drowsiness clearing from his mind as he took in Zane's demeanor.

"Zane, _Zane_ , listen to me, this isn't like you, you need to stop panicking-"

"Just listen to this!" Zane interrupted, flipping over his wrist panel and playing back the conversation he had heard, and Cole's eyes widened.

"Holy shit..." He mumbled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I need to leave," Zane decided, looking up at a very confused Kai before returning his gaze to Cole. "I- I can't stay. If what I believe is true really is, then I refused to let myself get pawned off like an object."

"Yeah, yeah," Cole nodded, trying to take it all in to the best of his ability. "Going to your old home?"

Zane nodded, and moved away to quickly gather a few belongings, shoving them into one of Kai's many drawstring bags. Once the fabric was slung around one shoulder, he spun into a quick Spinjitzu tornado and came out grasping his shurikens. Cole sat up, taking a deep breath.

"C'mere bud, one more time," He held out his arms in offering, and Zane accepted, but the hug was quickly broken when the people down the hall began to move, the vibrations felt even from the bedroom. Zane yanked away, giving Cole one last nod of farewell before climbing out of the window, summoning his bike on the way down.

Only a few seconds later, Jay popped his head into the room, scanning the inhabitants before frowning.

"You guys seen Zane? I need 'em real quick."

"No, not this morning," Cole lied, feigning a yawn. "Probably out meditating or somethin'."

Jay clicked his tongue in annoyance before ducking back out, and Cole shook his head in disbelief.

"Zane, you lucky bastard," He mumbled to himself before getting up and stretching, Lloyd shifting on the other side as he began to wake up. Kai climbed down the ladder, glancing back and forth between Cole and the door. He eventually settled on the Earth Ninja, and laughed in disbelief.

"Cole, man, what the hell just happened?"

* * *

A while later, Zane had arrived in Birchwood Forest. He dismounted his bike, it promptly poofing into thin air. Only now did he realize how badly his hands were shaking, and how his throat felt swollen from emotion. He walked through the light snowfall, trying to hone in on his element to calm himself, only to have it serve as a painful reminder that he had just essentially quit being a ninja.

He swallowed what threatened to be a sob as he appeached his home, his hands barely steady enough to unlatch and open the door. Once he had safely sealed off the entrance, he felt the first tears start to gather in his eyes, the relief of being safe in his own home slowly crumbling his composure as he leaned on the walls for stability. He shakily descended the stairs, collapsing onto the floor once at the bottom.

He had gone so long treating Jay like family, cooking him meals, tending to him when he was sick, and accompanying him on trips into whatever town or city they happened to be near when they stopped. And all along, had he just been a toy? A curiosity begging to be picked apart or sold? After all of his time pouring love into his found family, who would have guessed that two of them would turn on him so quickly.

Thanks to them, he might never see the others again. He had no guarantee that any of them remembered where his home was, and Lloyd and Nya had never been there at all, not that Zane wanted her there now. With all these thoughts running rampant in his head, he curled up by the stairs, and finally let the first tears fall.

He wasn't sure how long he stayed curled up for, but his joints creaked and ached as he straightened up, eyes burning from the shed tears as he moved to prepare himself some food, before realizing he didn't have any to prepare. Whatever, he didn't need to eat anyway. As he thought back, he realized he also forgot his blueprints, since they've seemed to permanently reside in Jay's workshop. Bitterly, he thought that maybe Jay would have something to sell to that man after all.

Having nothing else to do with his time, he decided to clean up the house, especially since he was living there again. He found the record player, and selected a vinyl from the dusty pile, the plastic still surprisingly intact. Once the music crackled to life, he started dusting, but he found it hard to concentrate on his tasks given his emotional state. He ended up aimlessly wandering the workshop, steps falling in time with the music, dancing by himself to the beat as the vibrations travelled through his shoes and up his back.

He paced for what felt like hours, only stopping when the music crackled to a pause, only for Zane to flip it over to the other side, singing softly to distract himself from the thoughts swirling around in his head.

_"I'll be loving you, always..."_

The android plucked a photo he had taken from their room out of his bag, the crew all gathered around Lloyd, faces smooshed together.

_"With a love that's true, always..."_

He placed it on the counter next to the old gas stove, dusty from years of disuse.

_"When the things you've planned, need a helping hand..."_

Defeated by the sight of him and Jay laughing together without a care in the world, he slumped against the cabinets, mumbling the next line in a broken tone.

_"I will understand, always."_

* * *

About an hour had gone by at the Bounty, and Jay was restless.

"Seriously, Zane's breaks in the morning are never this long. Where is he?" The Lightning Ninja wondered out loud, Cole grimacing out of his sight.

"Did he say he was going into the city today? He might need some more groceries or something."

"No, not to me, at least. Maybe I'll just text 'em, I just need him for a quick scan."

"A scan of what?" Cole asked, confused. Jay didn't _seem_ like he was being malicious, and the Earth Ninja had a hard time believing he would lie to this extent.

"You see, Nya and I got in contact with this guy from the government, right? And he was saying that he thinks the samurai mech could be useful for developing better defense droids-"

Cole felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"Wait, the mech has a weird power source too?"

"Well, yeah, how else would it stay powered all the time? And wait, what? What do you mean 'too'?"

Cole stammered, unsure how to go about this conversation.

"I was shaken awake by Zane this morning, who said he had heard you talking to some random guy about selling blueprints and weird power sources, and he swore you were talking about him!"

Jay was taken aback, blinking a few times while the words processed in his brain.

"Zane thought I was _selling him_?" He asked incredulously, eyebrows practically shot into his hairline.

"Yeah, poor guy was super freaked out."

"Gosh, I can't imagine," The Lightning Ninja carded a hand through his hair, glancing around. "I'll get Nya to stall the guy for longer, we should go get Zane. Wait, you do know where he is, right?"

"Yeah, Birchwood Forest."

"Right, let's head out then. Don't want to leave him like that for too long."

* * *

By the time Jay and Cole arrived at Zane's home, they could hear soft music playing from inside, although they couldn't quite make out the words.

"Sounds like he's listening to his dad's stuff," Jay commented, and Cole nodded, knocking loudly on the door as to be heard over the music. The duo heard the melodies pause, and the door opened just a crack.

Jay and Zane made eye contact before the android swiftly shut the door with a startled yelp, causing Cole to stop forward instead.

"Hey, Zane, it's ok, you can come out. Or rather, we can come in. It's pretty cold out here."

" _No_ , why would I let you in when you're with _him_?" Zane asked almost frantically, and the Earth Ninja's eyes softened in pity.

"It's ok, it was just a misunderstanding. Jay's not gonna hurt you."

And with that, the door cracked open once more, Zane eying them warily.

"Promise?" The Ice Ninja asked, not unlike a child to their parent, and Cole nodded.

"Yeah, I promise."

The door opened wider, a clear invitation to enter. Once the duo had descended the stairs, Zane looked nervously between them.

"So, about this misunderstanding?"

"Yeah, we were talking about the samurai mech," Jay explained, and the android just stared blankly at him. "Do you mind if I hear the part of the conversation you did?"

Zane obliged, flipping open his wrist panel and playing the audio, and the Lightning Ninja swallowed thickly at his own words.

"Yeah, you came to a pretty understandable assumption there," He nodded, and stepped forwards with a small laugh. "Zane, you look like you haven't slept in a week."

The Ice Ninja shrugged, and met Jay in the middle, wrapping his arms around the Lightning Ninja with a shaky exhale.

"Hey, buddy, it's ok," Jay reciprocated, his voice muffled by Zane's shoulder. "Y'know I love ya as a brother, right? I would never even consider selling you like a toy or a mech."

Jay pulled away just enough to meet Zane's gaze.

"I'm sorry you came to that conclusion though, it's only been a few hours and you look like you've been through hell and back. Rough time?"

The Ice Ninja nodded slightly, and Cole joined the hug from the side.

"C'mon Frosty, let's get you home. We'll fix up some lunch, yeah?"

Zane gathered what few things he brought with him, and the three left for the Bounty together, Jay not leaving Zane's side for the entire rest of the day.


End file.
